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A 20-year-old gunman has died in an exchange with police — but not before injuring 20 people and claiming at least 10 lives. Police asked residents to stay away from Umpqua Community College, which has about 3,300 full-time students and 16,000 part-time students, after an active shooter opened fire at around 10:30 a.m. local time. Authorities haven’t released any details on the shooter or victims yet, but are expected to update with more information as soon as it becomes available.

Tragic Event

Their aim can’t be this bad. The Kremlin says yesterday’s targets were ISIS-held areas, but evidence suggests they were really targeting rebel groups opposed to Assad. Russia launched fresh strikes today, again aimed at rebel targets, flying in the face of American ambitions for a political resolution and the Syrian leader’s exit. With the U.S. backing Syrian rebels — apparently now in Russian sights — the superpowers risk a much bigger blowup. Both countries’ top diplomats say they’ll hold urgent military talks in a bid to avoid clashing in the skies over Syria.

Friendly Fire?

We’re back in control. So say Afghan officials following three days of fighting to regain the northern city seized by the Taliban earlier this week. Overnight operations, coupled with U.S. airstrikes, reportedly helped troops retake government buildings while racking up the death toll of Islamic fundamentalists. Militants, meanwhile, claim they still control many parts, and their swift capture of the city has left experts worried that they’re bolstering themselves throughout the north. But if the government victory is confirmed, it’ll mean Afghanistan has passed its biggest test since the coalition’s withdrawal last year.

Land Grab

It’s hammering the Bahamas today, threatening lives and property and prompting warnings for the central and northern regions. The Category 3 storm is likely to strengthen into a Category 4 today, and its 115 mph winds are expected to veer north tonight. Meteorologists are divided over whether Joaquin will make landfall in the U.S., but Virginia has already issued a statewide emergency in preparation. Even if the storm stays offshore, the East Coast — particularly the Carolinas — will likely bear the brunt of flooding and strong winds.

Due North

They’re calling a truce. The rival tech giants agreed yesterday to stop fighting over who created what and when, dismissing all pending lawsuits between them over royalties for patents related to smartphones, Wi-Fi and Web video. Both stated they’d also collaborate in some patent areas in coming years — but they notably haven’t reached cross-licensing deals, normally offered with settlements to avoid future legal tensions. So while some are hailing this as a détente that could impact U.S. patent law, others question whether the ceasefire will hold.

Briefly

intriguing

She won’t stop it, but she will postpone it. Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin has delayed the execution of the 52-year-old convicted murderer who has a list of supporters including Pope Francis. Glossip took his case against lethal injection drugs to the Supreme Court and lost, but won his second stay in just over two weeks on the heels of another high-profile execution. But this only grants a 37-day reprieve for authorities to review their lethal injection method, and offers little hope of clemency.

Deadly Dilemma

Not all feedback is welcome. Peeple is an app in development that promises to let everyone review each other and comment on our interactions with the public at large. Even though the it’s still more than a month away from a scheduled launch, the app has already become the center of negative feedback. But co-founder Julia Cordray insists her creation is meant to “uplift” people and contains safeguards to avoid the kind of bullying critics fear could destroy lives. Still, that hasn’t stopped fears that our entire identities will be reduced to up or down votes.

Peer Reviews

Is he the next Steve Jobs? Twitter’s co-founder and erstwhile chief exec is expected to be named CEO once again, following a three-month stint in the interim role. The social network’s stock rose yesterday on the speculation, which follows upheaval and internal wrangling at the upper levels as Twitter seeks to become a more mainstream tool. Investors are looking for Jobs-style vision, and Dorsey’s plan to make the site the world’s “most powerful microphone” is clearly resonating, with the big announcement expected as early as today.

Flying High

It’s one place they’d probably prefer to remain in the minority. Seven percent of American youth identify as LGBT, compared to 15 percent of incarcerated kids — but a whopping 40 percent of girls in juvie are queer, and 85 percent of them are girls of color. These young women are also overrepresented in the child welfare system, according to the National Council on Crime and Delinquency, whose experts hope their research will lead to greater sensitivity toward vulnerable teens who may need more than time in a cell.

Behind Bars

It’s entering a third dimension. The alien-fighting video game Mass Effect is set to come to life at California’s Great America amusement park in Santa Clara — with an interactive ride that lets fans fight to save the day, much like they do in the game. This is just one of a slew of video game rides being announced — Ubisoft is opening a 10,000 square meter “next-generation” indoor theme park in Malaysia — and it’s scheduled to deliver folks to a “distant planet” in 2016.

Ride Wars

Party like it’s 1993. Babies born since Toronto’s last postseason are now old enough to legally raise a Molson to celebrate their return. That’s handy, since the Jays are the toast of the town after capping a late-season rally with a 15-2 blowout over the Orioles yesterday. Fans are celebrating — their last postseason concluded with Joe Carter homering to win a second-straight World Series — and eyeing Kansas City’s record to see who will be visiting Toronto for the Division Series opener on October 8.